Keep it locked, in its original child-resistant package, out of sight and reach of children and pets, and follow the storage conditions on the label.
The short answer on how to store cannabis: keep it locked away, out of sight and reach of children and pets, in its original child-resistant packaging, and follow the recommended storage conditions printed on the label. Those two steps cover both safety and freshness.
Below is what Health Canada recommends, why the original package does more than you might think, and how to read the dates and storage conditions on an Ontario label.
Safety first: Health Canada's storage steps
Health Canada's page on safe storage of cannabis sets out clear steps. In its words, always store your cannabis locked away and out of sight and reach of children and pets. It also recommends:
- Store cannabis in a secure cupboard with a strong childproof safety lock or latch.
- Consider a lockbox or safe.
- Keep legal cannabis products in their original packaging to keep them more secure.
- Store edible cannabis separately from regular food and drinks.
- Never leave cannabis unattended where children can access it.
Health Canada's store your cannabis safely infosheet adds that accidental poisonings from edible cannabis are a serious risk to children and pets.
If you think a pet has eaten cannabis, call your veterinarian right away.
Why the original package matters
It is tempting to move cannabis into a jar or bag. Here is what you give up when you do.
The federal Cannabis Regulations say the immediate container of a legal cannabis product must:
- meet the requirements of a child-resistant package under the Food and Drug Regulations
- prevent contamination of the cannabis
- for dried cannabis, keep the cannabis dry
- have a security feature that shows it has not been opened before you received it
- hold no more than the equivalent of 30 g of dried cannabis
The label also matters once the product is home. It carries the Total THC and Total CBD, the lot number, the packaging date, the storage conditions and the warning "KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN". Keep the product in its package and that information stays with it. Health Canada's consumer information page says it directly: store all cannabis in its original child-resistant packaging.
Edibles and beverages need extra care
Edibles look and taste like food, which is why Health Canada singles them out.
- Keep edibles and cannabis beverages apart from everyday food and drinks, in the same locked place as your other cannabis.
- Do not put them in the household fridge or snack cupboard where anyone could grab them.
- Health Canada suggests choosing legal edibles in plain, child-resistant packaging with no more than 10 mg of THC per package, which is what legal edibles in Ontario come in.
One useful fact for storage: the Cannabis Regulations prohibit the sale of edible cannabis if the unopened container must be kept at or below 4°C to prevent contamination. So unopened legal edibles are not products that need refrigerating, and there is no reason to keep them next to the milk. Our guides to edibles and cannabis beverages cover the products themselves.
Freshness: read the label
The label is your freshness guide, and three items on it matter most.
Recommended storage conditions
Every label must show recommended storage conditions. Health Canada's guide on how to read a cannabis label explains these cover things like temperature, light conditions or humidity. Follow what your package says, close it properly after each use, and keep it in the conditions printed on it.
Packaging date
Every label shows the lot number and the date the product was packaged. For dried flower and pre-rolls, the packaging date is the most consistent freshness signal you have. Staff can show it to you on any product before you buy.
Expiry date and durable life date
These work differently by product type under the Cannabis Regulations:
| Product | Date rules |
|---|---|
| Dried flower, pre-rolls, extracts, topicals | An expiry date is optional. A producer may print one only if it has stability data, for dried cannabis showing it keeps between 80% and 120% of its THC and CBD content over that period when stored as recommended. |
| Edibles | An expiry date is not allowed. Edibles with a durable life of 90 days or less must show a durable life date instead. |
So if your flower has no expiry date, nothing is missing. Go by the packaging date and the storage conditions.
Buy what you will use
The simplest freshness tip is about buying, not storing. If you only use a little, a smaller package with a recent packaging date may suit you better than a larger one that sits in a cupboard for months. Our guide to cannabis sizes and price per gram shows how to compare sizes fairly.
A storage checklist
- Keep every product in its original child-resistant package.
- Store it in a locked cupboard, lockbox or safe, out of sight and reach of children and pets.
- Keep edibles and beverages apart from regular food and drinks.
- Never leave cannabis out where children or pets can reach it, including when guests visit.
- Follow the recommended storage conditions on the label.
- Use the packaging date to keep track of freshness.
- Save 1-844-POISON-X in your phone.
If you live in a condo or rental, our guide to cannabis rules in Toronto condos covers building rules too.
Visit Sugar Beach Cannabis
Sugar Beach Cannabis is at 192 Queens Quay East, Unit A5, Toronto, beside Sherbourne Common on the waterfront. Every product we sell comes in its federally required child-resistant packaging, with the packaging date on the label. Browse the live menu, order online and pick up in store, or walk in and ask staff about the storage conditions on any product. We are open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., 7 days a week (hours can change on holidays, so call ahead). 19+ with government photo ID. Contact us or read more about the store.
Frequently asked questions
What is the safest way to store cannabis at home?
Health Canada recommends storing cannabis locked away and out of sight and reach of children and pets, in a secure cupboard with a childproof lock or in a lockbox or safe, and keeping products in their original packaging. Store edibles separately from regular food and drinks.
Should I keep cannabis in its original packaging?
Yes. Under the Cannabis Regulations the immediate container must be child-resistant, prevent contamination, keep dried cannabis dry and show it has not been opened. The label also keeps the THC and CBD content, packaging date and storage conditions with the product.
Does cannabis have an expiry date?
Not always. For dried cannabis and extracts an expiry date is optional and only allowed with stability data. Edibles cannot show an expiry date, but those with a durable life of 90 days or less must show a durable life date. Every label shows the packaging date.
Do cannabis edibles need to be refrigerated?
Unopened legal edibles should not need it: the Cannabis Regulations prohibit selling edible cannabis whose unopened container must be kept at or below 4°C. Follow the storage conditions on the label, and keep edibles locked away from regular food.
What should I do if a child eats cannabis?
Health Canada says to call 1-844-POISON-X (1-800-463-5060 in Quebec), or 9-1-1 in an emergency. If a pet eats cannabis, call your veterinarian right away.
This article is general information about cannabis rules and products in Ontario, not legal or medical advice. Rules change: check the official sources linked above. Cannabis is for adults 19+. Never drive impaired.
